BX1500 - Any way to secure 3pt in upright position while I use MMM?

[GolfAddict]

I've been pretty fixated on the static 3pt mount part of the thread, but to the stability question I would agree that removing the loader will give an immediate improvement to stability even if you didn't do anything else.

However, if removing the loader is just not practical for you, you should really consider adding fluid to the rear tires. It is fairly easy to do, and I could not believe the difference this made for me. Alternatively, rear wheel weights.

Having said that, if you are leaving the loader on all the time, you should not quit using ballast rear of the back axle. (With the extra weight back there now in the tires, you will find that it is some serious counter weight to the loader. You may be tempted to quit using the ballast box. Or worse, you may even put the loader to use without ballast.)

If you are leaving your loader on continuously, you want to continue to have ballast rearward of the rear axle to reduce the added stress to your front. Of course, this is even more important when using the loader for work.

 

[GolfAddict]

Don't know if this is something you might want to look at. This is something I have that I've never thought about using for ballast. This "carryall" doesn't use the three point hitch and is "Load tested to over 600 pounds. Working load rated at 300 lbs. " It could be loaded up with some weight for ballast. It does use up your hitch hole though, so you would have to remove it to pull around your sweeper...

Quick-On Carryall

Using it to carry ballast weight, I think it would be best to also run a tie down strap from each side of the carryall to those side lift rod holes. Since it's vertically mounted, if I put a lot of weight on it and was going to be parallel on slopes, I'd want to help it out with the sideways forces on it.

(If you don't already have a sprayer for the lawn and are thinking of getting one at some point, the sprayer he has works with this same mount. You slide out the carryall and slide in the sprayer. You get a better deal if buying both carryall and sprayer at the same time.)

 

[joshuabardwell]

Don't know if this is something you might want to look at. This is something I have that I've never thought about using for ballast.

I'm not sure that would be ideal for stability. It appears to ride relatively high, and it seems like a good part, or even all, of the ballast would be above the tractor's CG.

 

[GolfAddict]

I'm not sure that would be ideal for stability. It appears to ride relatively high, and it seems like a good part, or even all, of the ballast would be above the tractor's CG.

Yes I agree. I think ideally he removes loader, loads the tires...

I went out and stuck it on quick. The carryall pan rides just below the level of the PTO shaft, so it's not really very high. It seems like the actual weight of ballast would be carried way down right directly on the draw bar though, wouldn't it? I guess as you continued to tip, some of that weight would be leaning, but at a vector down between draw bar and wheel.

In any case, it's a way of carrying rear ballast in a fairly low static position, and I was thinking it may be better then say his grass catcher or a spreader locked in a more raised position - that looked to me like it would be higher. I'm not sure about that though.

I do know that if it were me I'd fill the tires regardless of what ballast I decided on back there...

 

[Danner]

I have found the FEL is pretty easy to remove and replace after you get used to it. I can do either in under 2 minutes without hurrying at all.

Just takes some practice.